Raymond Nana Damptey, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Birim North in the Eastern Region, has urged the local chiefs and assembly members to report any activity by illegal miners in their towns.
He said that by doing this, the security forces would be able to quickly detain the illicit miners.
He said it would have avoided mining pit mishaps that had led to the deaths of several illegal miners.
The DCE made the request last Friday when he spoke to the employees and assembly members in New Abirem, the district's administrative centre.
Burst in
Seven illegal miners were killed last week when a galamsey pit in Korle Tei, one of the mining settlements, collapsed in. Three more people who were saved eventually perished, bringing the total to eight.
According to Mr. Damptey, several assembly members provided the illegal miners advance notice during security service and District Security Council (DISEC) swoops, which allowed the illegal miners to flee.
In order for the DISEC and other security forces to capture the illegal miners and save lives, he consequently pleaded with the assembly members to stop the practise.
Regarding security in the area, he stated that the DISEC has increased night patrols and road block surveillance to look out for criminal activity.
In order to prevent chieftaincy disputes from escalating, Mr. Damptey said that DISEC had also been closely monitoring them in all of the district's hotspots.
Agriculture
With regard to agriculture, Mr. Damptey stated that the assembly was working feverishly to make farming a viable and alluring economic enterprise for the teeming young in the area.
He stated that as part of the government's Planting for Export and Rural Development initiative, the assembly had given 256,221 oil palm seedlings to 2,017 farmers over the course of the previous 12 months, of whom 601 were women.
The DCE said that in order to assist the Tree Crop Development Authority, 3,500 coconut seedlings were handed out to 67 elementary schools and three senior high schools around the district.
Education
To better prepare junior high school Form Three pupils for the Basic Education Certificate Examination, Mr. Damptey stated the assembly continues to hold mock exams.
Additionally, 200 dual desks were sent to several private institutions the previous year.
He said that the district did well in the 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examination, with 82% of the 1,727 total students passing.
Also speaking of social welfare, he said that in 2022, 191 PWDs would receive support from the assembly in the form of start-up kits for their own businesses, educational support, medical assistance, and apprenticeship training to enable them to support themselves and their families.
Projects: The district, he added, was also working on a number of projects, including school buildings, medical facilities, the CHPS campus, restrooms, and mechanised water systems, some of which had already been finished and others were in various stages of completion.
He said work was still being done on a health clinic for the Akoase and Pankese villages, as well as 64 lockable stores at New Abirem and 12-unit market stores at Nkwarteng.
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